Athletic v Östersund background
European debutants Östersund are a warn frontrunners in UEFA Europa League Group J, though a Swedish bar face a tough exam of their certification in Bilbao opposite an Athletic organisation unfortunate to post their initial win of a section.
Previous meetings
• In a clubs’ initial assembly on matchday three, Östersund were staid to make it 3 wins from 3 in a organisation until Athletic’s Iñaki Williams struck late on to secure a 2-2 draw. The Spanish side had non-stop a scoring by Aritz Aduriz, usually for a hosts to go 2-1 adult by Salisu Gero and Curtis Edwards.
• Spanish teams are dominant in 19 UEFA encounters with Swedish clubs (W16 D3) given IFK Göteborg kick Barcelona 2-1 in a UEFA Champions League in Dec 1994.
Form guide
• After winning 3 and sketch one of their UEFA Europa League subordinate matches this season, Athletic have unsuccessful to win any of their opening 3 organisation games. The matchday-two home better by Zorya (0-1) finished a Basque club’s run of 5 true home wins in a competition.
• Östersund have mislaid usually one of their 9 European encounters – 3-1 during PAOK in a play-offs – though have a certain change divided from home (W2 D1 L1).
• Seventh in Spain final term, Athletic have successfully negotiated 5 of their 6 UEFA Cup and UEFA Europa League organisation stages, including any of a final two. They were losing finalists in a 1976/77 UEFA Cup and 2011/12 UEFA Europa League.
• First-time Swedish Cup winners in 2016/17, Östersund have reached a UEFA Europa League organisation theatre in their entrance UEFA campaign, carrying separated Galatasaray, Fola Esch and PAOK in qualifying.
Trivia and links
• The tour from Ostersund to Bilbao is around 2,500km.
• Athletic have conceded 82 goals in a UEFA Europa League, organisation theatre to final – some-more than any other club.
• Athletic midfielder Raúl GarcÃa was a 2009/10 UEFA Europa League leader with Atlético Madrid.
• Athletic’s 36-year-old striker Aritz Aduriz top-scored in a 2015/16 UEFA Europa League with 10 goals. He needs one some-more to strech 20 for a competition, a landmark achieved by only dual players – Radamel Falcao and Óscar Cardozo.
• Suspended for subsequent compare if booked: Fouad Bachirou (Östersund).
The coaches
• Better famous as ‘Cuco’, José Ãngel Ziganda was a brazen for Osasuna and Athletic, and after guided Osasuna to a 2006/07 UEFA Cup semi-finals as coach. He was handed a Athletic pursuit in May 2017 after a six-year spell as B organisation boss.
• Englishman Graham Potter has helped drive Östersund from a Swedish fourth tier to a UEFA Europa League given holding a reins in 2011. He played in England’s reduce leagues with teams including Birmingham, Stoke and West Brom.